Nobody likes a toothache, and drug-based solutions like Anbesol and Orajel can cause side effects like gum sensitivity and rectal irritation that make using them for oral health much more troublesome than beneficial, in many cases. But there is a natural solution to the problem that costs pennies on the dollar, and that could provide lasting relief without all the harmful side effects: clove oil.
Rich in all-natural eugenol, a powerful antifungal, anesthetic, antibacterial and antiseptic healing compound, clove oil is renowned in traditional medicine as an effective treatment for toothaches. Known in the scientific realm as Eugenia aromaticum, clove oil existed long before drug companies arrived on the scene, and people have been using it to treat oral pain for many centuries.
Clove oil is still used today in some toothpastes and mouthwashes, but it has largely been replaced with chemicals that many people are trying to avoid. At the same time, modern science has affirmed that clove oil works the same as, if not better than, chemical-based anesthetics like benzocaine, which can exacerbate respiratory symptoms and lead to a blood disorder known as methemoglobinemia.
"Benzocaine, like many other anesthetics, can cause allergic reactions and other side effects that some people find unpalatable," writes New York Times columnist Anahad O'Connor in the paper's "Really?" section, which focuses on the science behind alternative medicine. "But one natural alternative is clove oil, an essential oil from the clove plant... [that] has been shown in studies to have both analgesic and antibacterial properties."
Study confirms clove oil works just as well as benzocaine at relieving pain
Many people unfamiliar with the healing power of natural plants and herbs, including the essential oil of clove, tend to underestimate how well these products work compared to their pharmaceutical counterparts. The assumption is that synthetic drugs somehow work better, and that natural remedies are merely a last resort when nothing else works.
But nothing could be further from the truth, as a 2006 study published in the Journal of Dentistry found that clove oil works the same as benzocaine for relieving toothaches and chronic tooth pain. After comparing its effects against both benzocaine and a placebo on 73 adult volunteers, researchers found that clove oil effectively numbs oral tissue without causing side effects.
"No significant difference was observed between clove and benzocaine regarding pain scores," wrote the authors of this study.
Clove oil also rich in vitamins, nutrients
The health benefits of clove oil do not stop here, however. As it turns out, clove oil is rich in nutrients like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium, as well as vitamins A, B and C. When taken orally in appropriate amounts, clove oil can help treat the types of health problems caused by benzocaine, including respiratory problems and digestive ailments.
"Traditional Chinese physicians have long used the herb to treat indigestion, diarrhea, hernia, and ringworm, as well as athlete's foot and other fungal infections and as a stimulant for the nerves," explains Bee Wilder for HealingNaturallyByBee.com. "India's traditional Ayurvedic healers have used clove since ancient times to treat respiratory and digestive ailments."
Clove oil also blends well with the oils of other herbs and foods like cinnamon, nutmeg and orange, which can be used to treat other conditions like cold and flu, whooping cough, depression and even antioxidant deficiency.
